


Fate/Seireitei Order

by Pearlglimmer



Category: Bleach, Fate/stay night & Related Fandoms
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fusion, Crossover, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, Fluff, Gen, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-30
Updated: 2020-09-19
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:21:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 17,822
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25612771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pearlglimmer/pseuds/Pearlglimmer
Summary: AKA The daily lives of Servants in various Bleach positions and the things they stir up
Comments: 3
Kudos: 21





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> HIGHLY inspired by a series of fan art by @sakanomachio_ on Twitter (please go there and give them your support, it's seriously good), thus all character pairs will be based on that and I do not claim any of the ideas. I'm just a fan who wants to somewhat bring them to life.

The large wooden door creaked open ominously, and the young man took a deep breath as he shifted in his position. He took in the smell of cigar smoke, but that was just normal for the man he is about to visit.

He rebalanced the stack of papers held precariously in his hands, so high that he could barely see over the top. He really wished that the pile was lower, and the man in the room can take a break for once, but unfortunately, this amount of paperwork was considered normal for Seireitei. After all, running such a large army does come with a proportionately large amount of paperwork.

* * *

The first thing the young man heard was snoring.

Even though it was sunny outside, the room was barely lit by a single lamp on an ornate wooden desk. The heavy blinds on the sole window in the room were drawn together, blocking out the midday sun. Shelves of books and scrolls lined the walls, the most obvious hint to the owner's unusual role, considering his position. The young man sighed, then tried to find an empty spot on the desk, but found none. It was only after he reluctantly set the pile of papers down on the floor that he found the man he was looking for, passed out on his favourite sofa behind the desk. The dark brown leather on the sofa was well-worn over years of use, but it was still maintained lovingly. The sleeping man's white haori was draped roughly over himself, rising and falling with his breaths. His long black hair was uncombed and draped over the shoulder rest, and the ends had dust all over them. There were heavy eye bags under his eyes that were visible even in the dim light. He knew the man usually did not get enough sleep at all, and he was reluctant to wake him up, but there was urgent paperwork to be done.

He threw open the blinds, allowing sunlight to stream into the room. The windows led to a large balcony that offered a view over the rest of Seireitei. No matter how much he saw it, the landscape still blew him away every time.

Red tiled roofs stretched out in all directions, with whitewashed walls accompanying them. Shinigami milled around the wide streets, sometimes talking, sometimes bringing items from one division to the other. Within the division walls, he could see people training with each other in the neatly groomed gardens that each division had. Just a typical day here.

The young man was broken out of his musings when he heard a low groan from across the room. He turned around, just in time to catch the sleeping man turn around and bury his face into the sofa.

Even though he had the highest authority in Seireitei, it was still mildly amusing to the young man that his superior's ability to take care of himself was terrible, and he often looked rather slovenly from that. Granted, he is still considered as one of the most level-headed captains within the Gotei Thirteen, and his level of eccentricity is nothing compared to some of his fellow captains.

"El-Melloi-taichou, wake up!" He gently shook the captain's sleeping body. "It's already noon."

With a groan, Waver El-Melloi opened one eye blearily and looked at the smiling young man. His blond hair was slightly tousled from work. "Did something happen, Svin?" he asked the young man.

"Well…" Svin tried to recall the contents of the various reports he had carried in. "Third and Kido Corps are fighting again because the captains had a disagreement with each other, the Fourth Division captain complained that he was being bullied again by the other divisions, one of the dojos belonging to the Eleventh was destroyed by their captain, and Twelfth Division is asking for a larger budget because they blew up one of their labs again."

Waver pulled one hand over his face as he sighed. "So, the usual."

He lazily propped himself up into a sitting position, wincing slightly as he felt the prickles in his body from sleeping in a bad posture. "Thanks Svin." He looked around for his lieutenant, but found no trace of her. He tilted his head. "Where's Gray?"

Svin perked up. "She went out on a trip to Rukongai, taichou. I will go and get her right now if you need anythi-gyah!" He barely managed to avoid getting choked on his uniform.

"Forget it." Waver grumbled, holding Svin's uniform collar. The captain forgot that she had a patrol to go for today, and she would not be back for a few days. "You're not supposed to be within five meters of her, remember?"

Svin drooped. "Yes sir…"

Waver let go of his third seat's collar. Svin Glascheit was one of his most brilliant students, able to reach the third seat position in only a few short years of his induction to the Gotei Thirteen, but he brought almost as many headaches to Waver as well. The manifestation of his zanpakutou resulted in animalistic instincts within Svin, including the rather troublesome habit of sniffing people like a dog. His senses were excellent, but it was hard to compliment him on it because of his habit of using the ability…inappropriately. After one too many complaints from his timid lieutenant, Waver had no choice but to enforce a restraining order on Svin so that he could stop getting into Gray's personal space.

"You're dismissed, Svin." Waver waved his student away, then immediately stifled a yawn.

"Need some tea, taichou?" Svin asked.

Waver thought about it for a moment as he walked a few steps to his desk. "Yeah. Thanks."

"No problem!" The young man waved and skipped out of his office.

Waver looked at his overflowing desk of paperwork, then at the pile left on the floor. Somehow, even during peaceful times, his captains make so much trouble that he is constantly behind schedule, even with Gray helping to manage the amount of work when she is here. Without her, Waver was quite sure that he would have died from paperwork several years earlier. He sighed, then took out a cigar from his kimono. Smoking always helped to clear his mind, and he found that he needed it now more than ever. He lit the cigar with a lighter, took a puff, and got to work.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, and signing off the latest request for vacation time, Waver found himself frowning at the door. It should not have taken this long for Svin to make a cup of tea. Despite all his faults, he was if nothing else dutiful, and he has made tea for Waver before.

Well, he needed to stretch his legs anyway. The paperwork can wait for a few minutes.

He knew something happened when there was a crowd in the communal cafeteria. The First Division snapped to attention and parted a path once Waver walked into the spacious room, but he waved them off. The division was made up of geniuses and were meant to represent the cream of the crop in Seireitei, but Waver found no need to enforce strict codes of conduct from them as long as they did their duties in a timely manner. He was, however, strongly considering enforcing them on one particular troublemaker.

Somehow, the entire cafeteria was plastered with tea leaves. People were hurrying about to get them off the furniture and the walls, while more streamed in with brooms and dustpans to clean the area. Even stranger, Waver was fairly sure the leaves were plastered in a way that disturbingly resembled his own visage. He closed his eyes, massaged the bridge of his nose, then opened his eyes again.

"What happened here?" He asked.

Everyone looked at each other, until a man spoke up in the back. "U-um…the Fourth Seat somehow did it."

That confirmed Waver's suspicions, and explained much of the situation. "Thanks. Do you know where he went?"

"Glascheit went chasing after him into the courtyard." The man replied.

Waver thanked the man and walked in the same direction that he pointed. There was no need to rush, because the troublemakers would run into him sooner or later.

One turn towards the courtyard later, he spotted the culprit, still running away from Svin. He was sticking his tongue out at his pursuer, who had his zanpakutou released, wreathing his arms and legs in ethereal animal limbs and chasing on all fours. Unfortunately for the culprit, he was not watching where he was going. Waver extended a hand and easily grabbed the young man's face in an iron hold when he turned around. Svin almost crashed into Waver, but he managed to stop himself in time, then sheepishly sealed his sword, returning to his usual standing position.

"Just what do you think you're doing, Flat?" Waver's voice was low and steady, but there was a subtle growl threatening to escape from the words.

"N-nothing?" Fourth Seat Flat Escardos squeaked. He squirmed a little in his captain's grip, but with his feet lifted off the ground, there was little he could do.

"What do you mean 'nothing'?" Waver narrowed his eyes as a knot appeared on his forehead. His grip on Flat's face tightened. "How in the world did you even spray our division's tea supply all over the cafeteria?!"

"I-I was just trying to test out a new kido spell!" Flat's voice was higher than before.

"And why did you think testing it on tea leaves was a good idea?" Waver yelled over Flat's protests of pain.

"I couldn't find anything that was small and numerous enough! I just wanted to see how many individual items I could control with it!"

Waver's grip slacked in surprise, and Flat collapsed on the ground. He winced as he rubbed the pain out of his face, then looked up at his teacher.

The captain's brow twitched as he tried to think of an appropriate punishment for Flat. He was somehow simultaneously Waver's brightest and dumbest student he ever taught, having an instinctual sense for battle and kido that would make geniuses green with envy, but none of the bloodlust and logical thought process required to survive in a dangerous world of Hollows and battle. Case in point, Svin is bar none the fastest member of the division, yet somehow Flat was able to avoid being caught by setting hasty traps along the way. The faint traces of reiatsu did not escape Waver's notice, and there were scratch and scorch marks along some of the hallways and in the ground of the courtyard. No doubt Svin had torn through a majority of the traps that Flat had laid down, yet they lasted long enough to slow him down. The only reason Waver allowed Flat in the First Division was so he could keep an eye on Flat and make sure he was relatively safe, but he was starting to regret that decision after years of cleaning up after Flat's messes.

"…Sorry I couldn't get your tea, taichou." Svin mumbled.

Waver silently prayed for strength.

"I don't mind that." He said levelly. "Don't scratch up the division next time. Clean up the hallways and courtyard."

Svin made a quick bow, then ran off. Waver's attention went back to his biggest headache.

"Now Flat…" The man in question gulped, his pale features even paler under the captain's withering stare.

Waver really, really wanted to punish the idiot. At the same time though, the educator in him was impressed with the level of control that Flat displayed in the haphazard spell that got him in trouble in the first place. Controlling millions of mundane, small items individually at the same time to create something whole was a level of sophistication that even the most seasoned members of the Kido Corps could not manage. Flat did it as a casual _experiment_.

"I'm docking your pay to pay for the ruined tea." Waver growled. "You're also going to be the only person cleaning the entire division for the next month."

"Whaaaaat?" Flat wailed pathetically on the ground. "But that's unfairrrr!"

"And that's two months of cleaning by yourself." Waver's eyes narrowed to slits, clearly showing the lines on his face.

"Okay." Flat replied in a small voice.

"I'm going back to my office. You better not cause any trouble for the next month, or I'm tripling your work." Waver said, then walked away.

"Yes, sensei."

"I've told you before, it's 'taichou', not 'sensei'!"

* * *

He collapsed back into his chair in the comfort of his office. Somehow, what was supposed to be a quick walk turned into a headache. Again.

Waver took out a new cigar from his kimono. He could already imagine the new paperwork that would come in within a few hours, detailing the damage done by Flat's experiment and subsequent rampage courtesy of Svin. He then looked at the pile of paperwork still on his desk. He dearly wished that someone would magically appear and take care of all of the work, but the logical part of his mind told him to start working through them before they became a bigger problem. Waver allowed himself one last idle puff of cigar smoke, then went back to work. He picked up the next report from the Second Division, detailing the latest information on the various threats to the mortal plane. One particular irregularity was noted.

"Hmm…I should go talk to Raikou-taichou about this."

* * *

_**First Division notable members list:** _

**Waver El-Melloi**

Position: Captain-Commander

Shikai: _Koumei_

A Chinese-style feathered fan, it has very few attacking properties, but good capabilities for supporting Waver's allies by revitalizing their reiatsu stores.

Bankai: _Kaerazu no Jin_

Literally meaning "Stone Sentinel Maze", it is a sealing type Bankai that transforms the surroundings into a maze of huge rocks designed to bewilder enemies.

Waver El-Melloi, formerly Waver Velvet, is the current captain of the First Division, and by extension the Captain-Commander of Gotei Thirteen. Out of all the current captains, he is probably the weakest, having below average abilities in swordsmanship and kido. However, he is respected by his peers for his skill as an excellent educator and strategist, often leading the Gotei to victory against overwhelming numbers. It is due to this ability that he is adopted by the El-Melloi noble family. He regularly gives lectures in Shin'ou Academy to current students as special lessons.

**Gray**

Position: First Division Lieutenant

Shikai: _Add_

A giant scythe that Gray can wield. Unusually for most zanpakutous, it is very talkative.

Bankai: _Rhongomyniad_

A holy lance that is capable of condensing the reiatsu around it, then releasing it in a massive blast. Because of that, it is difficult to wield.

Gray is Waver's foremost student. She is a shy girl who always covers her face with a hood but is nevertheless sweet and helpful. Waver allowed Gray to be his protégé after taking note of her unusually high levels of reiatsu while he was in Rukongai, coaching her through her studies in Shin'ou Academy. In return, Gray handles the tasks that Waver is too lazy to do, including cleaning his office and finishing his paperwork. Between her and Waver, she is the better fighter, thus she also doubles as his bodyguard when he ventures outside Seireitei.

**Svin Glascheit**

Position: First Division Third Seat

Shikai: _Beast Command_

Coats Svin's limbs in a blue reiatsu shell resembling wolf limbs. It boosts his speed to high levels and enhances his senses of sight and smell.

Svin is one of Waver's best students. He is studious and dutiful, but the awakening of his zanpakutou gave him strange habits, including getting into other people's personal space to sniff them like a dog. He loves Gray's scent and pines after her, but Gray mistakes it as hate. Due to this, he has a restraining order from the Captain-Commander to stay at least five meters away from her.

**Flat Escardos**

Position: First Division Fourth Seat

Shikai: _Kaleidoscope_

Nobody, not even Flat, has figured out how his shikai works. It has a random chance of doing what he wants it to do.

Svin's classmate, and simultaneously Waver's brightest and dumbest student. Has excellent scores in kido and a good grasp of swordsmanship, but his thought process is non-existent and is terrible at doing paperwork. He is an excellent fighter and can easily bring down opponents much stronger than him, but has trouble explaining how. He was only accepted into the First Division because Waver wanted to keep a close eye on him. Despite all the trouble Flat brings him, Waver is somewhat fond of the young man.


	2. Chapter 2

"Ara, it is unusual for you to personally visit us, Soutaichou." The shapely woman greeted her guest in her simple office. The afternoon light streamed in pleasantly, illuminating her smooth features in sharp contrast to her guest's tired visage. "Anything I can do for you?"

"Raikou-taicho." The sour man nodded his greetings. "Something about your latest report."

"Ah yes." She moved from her desk to the low Japanese-style table and sat down, seiza style, on one of the cushions. Her guest did the same. "Is there anything wrong with it?"

"No, not really." Captain El-Melloi admitted. "Just concerning. How did we miss something like this before?"

Minamoto-no-Raikou shifted uncomfortably in her position. "As far as I know, every Shinigami we sent to the city did not report anything unusual, save for higher than normal levels of Hollow activity. It was within expectations, hence we decided that there was no need for our attention. It was only when James went on a patrol there that he found the situation worth reporting."

It really was her failure. The Second Division acted as Seireitei's spies and assassins, which included observing all activity in both Rukongai and the mortal plane. Thankfully, the situation has not escalated yet and she could still salvage her mistake.

Captain El-Melloi sighed, then ran a hand over his face. "Thank goodness it isn't critical, but keep an eye on it. If possible, I'd like to keep the list of issues we have to take care of short."

"Of course, Soutaichou." She smiled pleasantly. "I'll let James know. Is there anything else?"

The male captain stared at her for a second, expression slightly twisted as he pursed his lips. "…Do you have some tea you can spare?"

* * *

She sent off her superior with a bag of her finest tea. While she mourned its loss, she was sympathetic to the troubles that Captain El-Melloi faced on a daily basis. Having genius officers who were also troublemakers made for a combination prone to headaches. In contrast, her children were quite well-behaved. What she had to worry about though, was everything that happens in the shadows, away from prying eyes.

At first glance, Raikou is unsuited to be a spy. She stood out in any environment with her ample body, towering stature and beautiful features. While being beautiful was usually a blessing, Raikou had mixed feelings about it. However, she excelled at information gathering, compiling clues together to find the truth mixed in them. Her commanding skills were useful as well, and it was this combination of abilities that allowed her to stay as the Second Division's captain for as long as she could.

A sharp knock on her wooden office door snapped her out of her musings. A slight flare of reiatsu informed her who it was.

"Come on in, James." She called.

The door creaked open, revealing an older man with short, greying hair and a bushy moustache. He quietly closed the door, then made himself at home on the cushions, opening a paper fan and cooling himself in the warm spring air.

"I saw the Soutaichou go out of your room, Raikou-taichou." He lazily turned to look at her. "I thought he's usually either at his own division or the Academy."

"I told him as such." Raikou replied, signing off her own paperwork. Then she frowned at her own lieutenant. "Don't you have work to do, dear?"

Despite the man looking much older than Raikou, she somehow exuded an aura of motherly love. It did not feel weird for the two people in the room, though it did irritate him just a little.

"Please, I could use less of your mothering." He replied. "Use it on the newer recruits."

"Of course, James. Shall we go and see them now?"

* * *

James Moriarty was a man that few would trust on appearance alone. His entire existence screamed shadiness, in complete contrast to his captain, who embraced the image of an ideal mother and lover. There were even rumors that he was actually a criminal mastermind who engineered every single bad thing to happen in Rukongai, but those rumors were unfounded…for now.

Despite that, Raikou found James to be her most dependable child. Nobody knew his methods, but he got the job done, and that was what she needed the most in a division that emphasized results over methods. It was this that allowed him to become her lieutenant, and she did not regret the decision at all. The two made for a strange pair, though over time, Seireitei got used to it. James excelled at infiltration and assassination, areas that Raikou lacked, and his ability as a fighter was nothing to sneeze at. However, she found his greatest asset to be his planning abilities, covering his own trails so thoroughly that only a genius on the level of El-Melloi could possibly spot the clues pointing to James's handiwork.

Their walk to the courtyard where their division trained was pleasant and uneventful, peppered by short conversations about their day. The Shinigami they passed greeted them politely as they went about their daily tasks to which Raikou and James replied in kind.

The Second Division's courtyard favoured functionality over aesthetics. There was a small corner filled with plants and a pond on Raikou's insistence for a place to relax, but most of the courtyard was covered in a mixture of sand and gravel, with wooden striking dummies set up along the wall separating them from the Third Division. Shinigami gave each other a wide berth as they were training because there was the very real risk of a stray weapon or kido spell injuring others, but there were still groups sparring each other in hand-to-hand combat, away from the recruits practicing on the dummies. All of them snapped to attention when Raikou stepped into the courtyard, but she just smiled and affectionately petted the heads of the Shinigami present.

"I hope you have all been good children~" she said in a sing-song voice.

Some of the people exchanged bewildered looks and fidgeted in place. Ignoring their discomforts, Raikou hugged each one of them, pressing them against her ample bosom.

"How have you been? Eating well? You look pale, have you been sleeping enough?"

On and on she went with each recruit, each looking more uncomfortable than the last. One recruit finally worked up the courage to ask James.

"Um, Moriarty-fukutaichou, is that normal?" she whispered.

He snapped his fan open and covered his mouth. "Yes, it is." He replied, his tone filled with mirth. "She loves this division as her children, so of course she would care about the wellbeing of every member. Try to survive her chokes!" He gave a short laugh and followed his captain, leaving the recruit even more confused.

Raikou hugged a few more recruits before James interrupted her with a cough. "I do believe you've hugged them enough, have you?" he asked. "They have to get back to training too."

Her eyes began to water. "But I'm not done here yet…"

While the image of a crying mother would melt the heart of any normal man, James was long used to his captain's eccentrics. "Taichou," his voice turned stern, "you've not finished your paperwork yet."

Raikou pouted a little, but relented under her lieutenant's narrow gaze.

"Try to be good children, okay?" She called out one last time to the gathered Shinigami. "Don't make Mother cry!"

* * *

"You do know how uncomfortable you're making the recruits feel, correct?" James asked Raikou. They were back in her office, him relaxing with a cup of tea in his hand, her sitting at her desk working through her paperwork.

"Why do you think so, dear?" she asked back. "Is it because they never experienced a mother's love?"

James paused mid-sip from his tea.

The majority of recruits in the Gotei were from Rukongai – poor souls who likely did not have family, and applied to Shin'ou Academy for a chance to live a more comfortable life, despite knowing the dangers that they could face. The Second Division was one of the few divisions with a specialized role, and because of that, even fewer graduates applied for the division. Ability was the primary factor in deciding which applicants passed, but many of them developed their skill at infiltration, information gathering and assassination because they were necessary for survival in the rougher districts in Rukongai.

Most of them probably did not know what love _is._

He looked at his captain again. Sunlight still streamed into the office, illuminating Raikou's features in a golden glow. They were smooth, delicate features, worthy of a top-class beauty. Yet, beneath them was a hint of steel, the gentle curves hiding a deadly blade, ready to strike at anything that threatened her charges.

James blinked, but that image was gone, replaced with her gracefully brushing her dark hair back from her face.

"…Colour me surprised." He finally said.

His only reply was a motherly smile.

"Ah yes, I forgot to ask," Raikou suddenly said, causing James to look up. "Where's your work?"

She still held the same motherly smile, but it failed to reach her eyes. James however, kept his pleasant expression steady.

"Don't worry about it taichou," he replied. "It's been finished for a while now." He took out a stack of papers from his shihakusho, then stood up and handed them over. "All signed and ready to go."

"Well now," Raikou skimmed the reports appreciatively. "I don't know where you found the time to do them, but good job, James."

"Of course." James nodded. "I aim to please, milady."

And was that not weird, in its own way. Raikou knew James had just come back from a mission just before the Captain-Commander came to visit, so there should have been very little time for him to do any kind of paperwork before he came to relax in her office. Yet somehow, they were now done perfectly, with detailed reports on his latest mission and signed forms from those under his squad. His paperwork was substantial, but how did he get them done so quickly?

She studied her lieutenant discreetly as she went through his reports. The wrinkles on his face showed his age, but his narrow grey eyes still had a glint of sharpness in them. Raikou appreciated James in the way she appreciated an obedient child – he did his tasks perfectly and never caused too much trouble for her, plus he was the perfect complement to support her in areas where she was inadequate. However, the man never revealed his methods that he used to get the job done, and as she thought about it, she realised that she didn't know about his background at all.

And she made a point to know the circumstances of every child under her. James was the only exception. In fact, Raikou was fairly sure that nobody knew his background. Information gathering was her specialty, so why is it so hard to dig out information about him?

Raikou decided that those questions can wait. What mattered now was that he was following her orders and not causing trouble for anyone else. It will have to do for now, until she can find out his origins.

"One last thing, James." She said. "Soutaichou was concerned about that report from last week. Can you keep an eye on the situation and tell me if it gets worse?"

He was close to the door, but looked back at his captain. "Sure, I will."

"Do try not to get trigger-happy on anything suspicious!"

"Should you really be saying that, considering our job?"

* * *

Later that evening, she received her usual guest.

"Here. These were the weapons that came to our side." The effeminate person said, placing a few shuriken and daggers on Raikou's table.

Despite the wall separating the two divisions, it was common for training weapons to be mistakenly dropped into the other division's courtyard. Replacing them took up a significant chunk of her division's budget, so instead Raikou came to the agreement with Third Division's captain to salvage the usable ones every evening and deliver them back to their respective divisions.

"Thank you, Enkidu." She nodded her thanks. "How is Gilgamesh-taichou?"

They tilted their head. "Gil? Still the same as usual, tormenting our recruits."

"Do get him to take care of them, all right?"

"I try."

* * *

_**Second Division notable members list:** _

**Minamoto-no-Raikou**

Position: Second Division Captain

Shikai: _Doujigiri Yasutsuna_

A long katana wreathed in purple electricity. Its length makes it unwieldy for most, but Raikou can wield it easily. She can use it to send out waves of lightning in any direction.

Bankai: _Go'ou Shourai – Tenmoukaikai_

While it keeps the same base as her shikai, bankai allows her to change the form of her weapon into different ones. Her immediate area is plunged into a lightning storm, and her strength is increased. Her zanpakutou is one of the reasons why she is not suited for assassin work.

Minamoto-no-Raikou is the Captain of the Second Division. She is a motherly figure that dotes those under her endlessly, thinking of them as her own children. Despite that, she has never given birth to her own children. While her appearance and beauty make her unfit for infiltration and assassination work because of how much she stands out, she is an excellent commander and an expert at information gathering. She is also considered as one of the three best swordsmen amongst the current captains.

**James Moriarty**

Position: Second Division Lieutenant

Shikai: _The Ultimate Crime_

A large cannon mounted on James's arm. It uses compressed reiatsu from him as ammunition.

James is the lieutenant for the Second Division. He is in charge of everything that his captain is bad at, namely infiltration and assassination. He may look shady, but is quite trusted by the rest of Gotei. He has the ability to get everything done perfectly, yet nobody sees him actually doing the work. Strangely enough, his background before becoming a Shinigami remains a mystery.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of the "weird pairs" of characters! These two never really interacted with each other in FGO, so I tried my best to figure out what kind of relationship they would have with each other. Raikou's shikai and bankai are taken from her Noble Phantasm and Bond 10 Craft Essence, and is probably one of the few zanpakutou that would sound like they belong in Bleach. Most of the others are quite out there. Moriarty's was harder to figure out, but I went with the first half of his Noble Phantasm as the name.


	3. Chapter 3

It was night when Enkidu returned to their own barracks. Most of the Shinigami were finished with their duties for the day, but they knew one particular person would still be working. Their steps took them to the largest office in the division, and they stopped short of the ornate wooden door.

No matter how many times they saw the door, it always made them laugh. Most captains kept their office modest, perhaps decorated with a potted plant or two, but not this one. Enkidu took a deep breath, then opened the door.

"I'm back, Gil." They called out.

"Oh, Enkidu? Good work today." Their friend said distractedly from his stone desk, still going through the reports of the day.

Enkidu casually examined the desk. It was carved out of a single piece of stone and unbelievably heavy, but it was just one of the many modifications that Gilgamesh, captain of the Third Division, had requested for his office. The walls were covered in gold leaf and the sofas were removed entirely so the only chair in the room was the expensive leather chair that he was currently sitting on. To Enkidu, it resembled more like a throne rather than an office chair. The entire room was illuminated by bright yellow lights, and the walls reflected the light within the room, washing over everything with a golden tint. With his golden hair and complexion, the captain seemingly blended into the entire room.

While most visitors would feel uncomfortable standing the entire time they were received in Gilgamesh's office, Enkidu had no such reservations. They sat down cross-legged on the plush carpet covering the floor, right in front of the desk.

"You're overworking yourself again." Enkidu noted. "Why don't you try to delegate some of your work?"

Gilgamesh signed off the latest report, then pulled a new one from his pile. His ruby red eyes narrowed. "These soldiers can't even fill them out properly, so of course I have to do it myself. They're only fit to do the simplest of tasks that I assign them."

"Have a little more faith in them, Gil." Enkidu coaxed. "They just need some time to learn."

His grip on his pen tightened. "And I did give them time. They're still doing it wrong!"

Enkidu smiled pleasantly at their friend as he raged on through the reports, reading through them at a speed that would make people envy. "I would prefer you don't overwork yourself like the Soutaichou though." They said.

"He would have so much more done if he didn't keep those useless students he picked up from the Academy." Gilgamesh retorted. "El-Melloi is a good enough commander, but that does not mean that I approve of his choice of followers."

He finished the last of his papers with an angry flourish, then stood up. "Come, Enkidu. Let's go eat."

"Of course." They agreed, and followed their captain out of the office.

* * *

The night breeze was cool and pleasant on Gilgamesh's face as he strolled out in a brisk pace while his friend followed closely. It was a welcome change from his musky office that he spent his entire day in. The lights in the corridors shone with a warm light against the darkness, and various rooms in the barracks were lit up in a similar glow as Shinigami winded down from their day. He nodded his acknowledgement to the few Shinigami he passed in the hallways as he went to the division cafeteria.

Gilgamesh was a man born in luxury, and one who knew how to manage and enjoy that luxury. Most division cafeterias served mundane fare, but he demanded only the best chefs Seireitei has to offer to serve in his barrack kitchen. They did not disappoint, and served gourmet food rivaling the most expensive restaurants in Seireitei daily to the division members. Said chefs called out a sharp "Good evening, Gilgamesh-taichou!" when he walked into the room, and the other division members said their own greetings.

"Fuhahaha, I see that the day has gone well for everyone!" He announced. "That is good. Keep working hard, you mongrels, so you may continue to serve as my foot soldiers!"

"Yes, sir!" The cafeteria chorused, then they went back to their personal business. Gilgamesh approached the chefs, who sketched a quick bow while cooking food.

"What's on the menu today?" Gilgamesh asked the man still managing the pan

"Grilled cod seasoned with pepper and salt, with a side of spring greens tossed in lemon vinaigrette and rice, taichou." The chef replied. He never took his eyes off his pan through the conversation.

"Very well, I will have that then." The captain ordered.

The man nodded, then turned to Enkidu. "A salad for you, fukutaichou?" he asked

"Yes, the usual please." They replied in a gentle voice, in complete contrast to Gilgamesh's booming tenor.

Both received their food a few minutes later, then sat down at one of the empty tables. Gilgamesh savoured the food in his mouth – perfectly grilled with a little crisp and burnt parts to add interest, seasoned just right, and the vegetables cut through the oiliness of the juicy fish. He eyed his best friend currently digging into their salad. The leaves in the food matched the light green shade of their eyes and long hair that reached his thighs. There were a few pieces of pork in the salad – an odd choice for meat in the salad, but the chef somehow made it work.

Enkidu is a curious oddity for Gilgamesh. Nobody knew their actual gender, and they never deigned to tell anyone, not even their best friend. Ultimately though, it did not matter for the captain, because Enkidu is the only person he deemed worthy enough to stand by his side. They had the strength necessary to match, and they were a good complement to his own temper and attitude. Gilgamesh thrived in his position of leadership, but there was no point to lower himself to the level of his soldiers. The entire point of his leadership was for him to be the first line of attack and defense, while his division did what they could to pick off weaker enemies.

While Enkidu was just as strong as him, they were gentler, regularly having casual conversations with the soldiers. They cared about the emotional wellbeing of the division members, which Gilgamesh could not be bothered to do. They had a child's curiosity in them, fascinated by the most mundane of incidents in life. It made for an interesting balance within the division, but he appreciated Enkidu for covering areas that he knew he was lacking.

"Hm?" Enkidu looked up from his dinner. "What's the matter, Gil?"

He closed his eyes and elected to take a bite of the sweet rice. "Nothing much, my friend. Your hair's in the salad, by the way."

They looked back down in surprise. There was indeed a thin strand of green hair mixed into their food. They picked out the offending strand, then went back to their food in pleasant silence.

* * *

Late at night, the Third Division's courtyard was devoid of any Shinigami. It was a neatly groomed, though well-worn place. Because of the destructive nature of so many of their zanpakutous, the courtyard was much larger compared to other divisions to accommodate for the collateral damage that occurred when Shinigami trained. The thin layer of sand covered up numerous potholes in the ground, and they had to build an additional wall to protect their small garden from debris that often flew out from the training areas. It did not help that they were often "visited" by the captain of the Kido Corps, one of the few who can match the opulence and arrogance that Gilgamesh displayed, and these visits frequently ended in extensive property damage. He had attempted to raze down the headquarters that the Kido Corps occupied more than once, but Enkidu was always there to remind him that he should be more considerate of Captain El-Melloi's workload, and Gilgamesh begrudgingly backed off.

There were still a few nicks on the wall from the last time the Kido Corps captain visited just two days ago, and Enkidu made a mental note to ask some of the Shinigami to fix them tomorrow. Their attention went back to Gilgamesh, currently without his usual haori, his zanpakutou hanging loosely in his belt. His well-chiseled figure was softly outlined by the silver light from the moon as Enkidu stood opposite him in a similar position, with their own zanpakutou looped in their belt.

Gilgamesh narrowed his eyes, a feral grin on his lips. He folded his arms and stared straight at Enkidu with his chin down. "Are you ready, my friend?"

Enkidu's lips curved into a hard smile. Their brows slanted down, and their long hair swayed with the breeze. The image of grace was however ruined by the excited glint in their eyes. "Always, Gil." They replied evenly.

A breeze passed between them, kicking up a cloud of dust.

A bird chirped somewhere in the distance.

" _Open, Gate of Babylon!_ "

" _Tie them down, Chains of Heaven!_ "

With a mighty crash and flash of golden light, their nightly spars began in earnest.

Before the dust settled, Gilgamesh had shot out two ethereal weapons from his shikai through the golden portals that followed behind him. Enkidu easily countered by shooting out chains from their right arm, now wrapped in a length of golden links that glowed with power, tipped by a sharp arrow end. The ethereal weapons missed their mark and buried themselves into the sandy ground. They sent out another chain towards him, but he sidestepped and grabbed a new sword from the golden gates and charged straight at Enkidu. They yanked the chain back and it followed his movement. Gilgamesh was forced to veer away before he could swing his sword at them, but regained his footing and charged again from their flank.

More portals opened up behind him, showing the tips of numerous weapons ready to shoot out. Enkidu swung around bodily, bringing their chain to slam into Gilgamesh. The weapons fired as he ran on, heedless of the chain rapidly approaching his side.

At the last second, Gilgamesh leapt over the offending chain, then brought down his sword at Enkidu. His weapons were batted away by additional chains that Enkidu had conjured up, then they skipped backwards to avoid the swinging sword in his hands. They shot out chains that attempted to surround the captain before they landed softly on the ground, but he used a quick _shunpo_ and dashed out of the way, landing heavily on the ground and kicking up another cloud of dust. His legs bent down, then straightened out like a spring as he sprinted again towards Enkidu.

They matched Gilgamesh's smile with their own and met the charge head on, their chain arm crackling with green energy. One, two, three clashes of pure strength, neither side giving way to the other. All the while, they shot more chains and weapons at each other, all countered or dodged by the combatants.

They were suddenly interrupted when a scream pierced the night over the din of the fight. Both people snapped their necks to the source of the sound – a young woman in one of the open corridors who was clutching her side in pain. Blood was seeping through her fingers, visible even with the dim light.

Enkidu widened his eyes slightly, then immediately sheathed his zanpakutou and ran over to support her. Gilgamesh was much slower, looking at the woman in disdain before he sighed and sealed his zanpakutou. His eyes wandered beyond the woman to the walls of a dojo. One of his weapons was embedded into the wall but slowly dissipating, leaving a trace of blood where it impacted.

"Did you not know to come near here during the night?" He raised his voice at the woman still trying to endure through the pain. Then he realised that this woman was a new member. "Well, no matter. Consider this to be a warning. Enkidu."

"Yes, of course." They replied as they gently lifted the woman in a princess carry, heedless of the blood getting on their hair and uniform.

"Send her to the Fourth. And buy some sweets for her in the meantime." He instructed.

"Alright." They tried their best reassuring smile on the woman, before they leapt up to the rooftop and skipped towards the Fourth Division barracks. "What kind of candy do you like?"

The woman later realised that through the whole trip, Enkidu somehow never jostled her even once, despite all the shortcuts they took.

* * *

They landed with a soft splash in the pond of the Fourth Division. Enkidu was about to step out and look for the captain when they heard a soft rustle, then found themselves face to face with the man they were looking for. His haori was slightly dirty with specks of dust, his peach ponytail was in a mess, and there was brown liquid dripping out of the corner of his mouth as he stared in shock at his unexpected guest. He held a mug of the steaming liquid in his gloved hands.

"…Bwuh?" was all that he managed to say to his unexpected visitor.

"Coffee this late in the night?" Enkidu asked with a smile. "Most would have gone to sleep by now, Archaman-taichou."

Romani Archaman blinked, then regained his composure, absently wiping away the dribble of coffee with his free hand. "Same could be said of you, Enkidu-fukutaichou." He looked over at the woman in their arms. "Accidentally injured someone again with your nightly spars?"

They at least had the decency to look sheepish. "She's a new recruit." Enkidu replied, and that explained everything the captain needed to know.

He sighed softly, then stood up. His shihakusho hung loosely on his frame, but he looked every part of a doctor with his white gloves and gentle demeanor. "Come on in then. I'm sure we have a bed somewhere…"

* * *

_**Third Division notable members list:** _

**Gilgamesh**

Position: Third Division Captain

Shikai: _Gate of Babylon_

Golden portals containing a replica of every zanpakutou to ever exist. However, Gilgamesh is not versed in wielding all of them, so they are mostly shot out as projectiles.

Bankai: _Ea_

More of a drill than a sword, it utilizes Gilgamesh's massive reiatsu reserves to fire a blast of energy when fully activated, with the potential to destroy the entirety of Soul Society. Because of its destructive potential, it is rarely used.

Gilgamesh is captain of the Third Division, and widely considered to be the strongest captain currently. He is a man with a kingly disposition, arrogant and prideful. He looks down on everyone weaker than him as trash that he must protect or train. Thus, he views his division members as foot soldiers. However, he cares for his subordinates in his own, distant way, sending them the occasional gift when they need it the most. He has a love for luxury, and is rich enough to easily afford the comforts he wants in his own barracks. Due to this, the Third Division is considered one of the most comfortable divisions to be in, materially speaking.

**Enkidu**

Position: Third Division Lieutenant

Shikai: _Chains of Heaven_

A set of interlocking golden chains tipped with sharp metal arrowheads, they manifest around Enkidu's right arm. They can send them out to ensnare opponents or knock things away.

Bankai: _Enuma Elish_

Larger, stronger chains that can appear from golden portals similar to Gate of Babylon. Enkidu can combine multiple smaller chains into a giant chain to bind opponents. The stronger the foe, the harder it is for them to break out.

Enkidu is Gilgamesh's only friend, the only person that he acknowledges as his equal, and the only person he allows to call himself with a nickname. Unlike him, they are gentle and inquisitive, caring about the daily lives of the division members. They have an effeminate appearance, so nobody has figured out their gender yet, and they prefer it that way. Their strength rivals even Gilgamesh, but they are unwilling to leave his side to become captain of their own division, and the Captain-Commander is happy to leave things this way, so that they can restrain Gilgamesh from doing anything rash.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's the classic Gilgamesh and Enkidu duo! You might ask me: "Isn't Gil better suited to be the Captain-Commander compared to Waver?" My answer would be "You're absolutely correct!" I only thought of it after I had written out the first chapter, decided that the image of Waver trying to manage 12 superpowered people with his measly skills was too funny to pass up, so I kept the original chapter and put Gilgamesh here instead.


	4. Chapter 4

"Nothing serious." Romani said, putting away his tools. "She lost a bit of blood, but whatever cut her didn't cut deeply. Give her a day of rest and she'll be good."

Enkidu breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good to know." They smiled. "I'll come pick her up tomorrow."

"Sure." Romani agreed. "Have a good night, Enkidu-fukutaichou. And wash the blood out of your hair before people think you murdered someone!"

The effeminate person waved, then leapt over the walls surrounding the division, their tabi still dripping with water from the pond. He would have to ask someone to clean it up later.

Romani turned his attention back to the injured woman. She was now sleeping soundly on an empty bed, her wound wrapped in bandages and gauze. Satisfied that she would be fine through the night, he went back to his office to look for the coffee he was enjoying earlier. It was probably cold now, but he could always refill it with fresh coffee. It was his turn for the night shift anyway.

He warmly greeted the numerous Shinigami hurrying along the corridors as he strolled back to his office. Unlike other divisions, the Fourth was active all the time, with members working in shifts to take care of sick patients and emergencies. Shinigami technically never got sick, but Hollow poisons still affected them, especially the ones that acted slowly. They often required treatment over weeks or even months, but Romani was proud to say that almost all of his patients make a full recovery.

He was mildly surprised that his office lights were open, because he was fairly sure he turned them off before taking care of the injured Shinigami. He opened the door and was ready to catch whichever thief had decided to sneak in, only to stop before he even opened his mouth.

Short, light purple hair, a slightly dusty shihakusho. Her profile was soft and fragile, but there was steel underneath. The armband that indicated her high rank in the Fourth was slightly crooked on her right arm. Her glasses steamed up slightly as she refilled his cup of coffee on a small counter to the side, then she turned around and stopped.

"Hello, Doctor." She greeted. "I figured you needed it." She held out the steaming cup towards him.

There was a particular quirk that Romani enforced within the Fourth Division. He never considered himself as above his fellow Shinigami, rather he preferred to be a sort of administrator, allowing much autonomy for how they operated. Each member was a valuable healer, doctor and therapist to manage the physical and mental health of the various Shinigami living in Seireitei, and there were many scars of both kinds that every person bore. Thus, to everyone in the division, his rank was simply "doctor", rather than "captain". It emphasized his role as a healer first, combatant second. He preferred it this way.

Romani smiled and gratefully accepted the cup. "Thanks, Mash. What brought you here?"

Unlike him, she did not have night duties today.

"…I couldn't sleep." She admitted. "So I thought that I might as well come help."

He looked at the various monitors that covered the far wall of his office as they displayed numerous graphs. They indicated the status of all his current patients. Some were slightly irregular, while others held steady. The Fourth Division was one of the few to have extensive modern technology integrated into the barracks, because with how busy he was usually, the machines saved him a lot of time that would have been spent walking from one place to another. The other members of the division embraced them, though it made exchanging information with other divisions a hassle since Romani still had to write out everything by hand.

One monitor beeped, indicating a concerning change in one of the patients. He knew there were healers working on patients that needed round the clock care, so he was not worried. Rather, he was worried about the increasing pile of paperwork that was left on his simple wooden desk, which he had failed to go through because he…if he was honest with himself, he was trying to run away from them.

Romani heard the kettle boil, then realised that his lieutenant had prepared a cup of tea for herself. She moved towards one pile of paperwork left on his desk, but he interrupted her.

"Come on, sit with me." He said, patting the empty space on the sofa he was sitting on.

"What about the paperwork?" she asked.

"It would be rather depressing if you were working even when you're supposed to be resting." He reasoned.

Mash took one last glance at the piles of paperwork, then hesitantly sat next to him.

While they were not related, Romani considered Mash Kyrielight to be his own daughter. She was sweet, helpful and while her healing abilities were quite average, she shone at immediate first aid, keeping patients stable enough to receive the help they needed and working under pressure.

"Did you read any interesting books recently?" he asked. He knew Mash devoured all kinds of books that she managed to get her hands on, especially those from the mortal plane. It was one of her few escapes from her relatively short and sheltered life, while Romani tried to fill in the gaps that books couldn't fill. His experience as a therapist came in handy here.

There were horrible sights that he had seen in his career, which he was sure was worse for older soldiers. Romani saw the effect that the horrors of battle had on veterans, so he had argued the case for a specialized unit to handle therapy for anyone who needed, which Captain El-Melloi was reasonable enough to agree to. However, it was still an uphill battle to convince his fellow captains that there was nothing wrong with needing therapy, and that it should be viewed as a regular injury, not as proof of someone's weakness.

Mash's face lit up at the topic. "Oh, oh, I recently got an entire series of books!" she exclaimed. "I've only got through a few, but it's about this genius detective trying to solve mysterious crimes, and his…friend? I think? He narrates the story, so I don't quite get to see the detective's thought process until the end, but it's so interesting, especially because when you look back all the clues are in there already!"

Somewhere in the distance, a silver-haired gentleman sneezed in the spring night. He rubbed his nose in irritation, then continued his vigil over Seireitei.

Romani smiled at his lieutenant's enthusiasm. Her cheerful energy was infectious, and he soon found himself drawn into the stories she was trying to recount. Part of his mind wandered as he continued listening, back to the first day he met Mash.

* * *

Downcast eyes, small and fragile, as if she wanted to shrink into herself.

This was Romani's first impression of Mash. The Twelfth Division's captain had brought her to the Fourth from his lab, asking Romani to take care of her. From what he understood, she was a partial clone of a lieutenant, an attempt to artificially create people with higher reiatsu stores. Though the lieutenant had agreed to volunteer for it in the first place, the experiment was only a partial success, as the captain deemed it too expensive and unethical to maintain such an existence. Thus, she was brought to the Fourth as a patient to be treated of the unusual elements in her body, and try to adjust her to a normal existence.

"Does she have a name?" Romani asked the visiting captain. He shook his head.

Romani accepted the girl, but progress was rough during the first few months. The first thing he did was to give her a name. Mash accepted it all too easily. She responded to questions mechanically, almost like a robot reciting lines from pre-recorded information stored in her. There was almost no emotion in her words, and when asked about life and death, she recounted them with a disturbing lack of appreciation for the concept.

While the consensus amongst the general Shinigami population was to discard emotions in order to survive on the battlefield, Romani disagreed. He believed that they were important parts of being human, no matter how inhuman their powers were. They were essential for living, not just surviving.

So he kept trying, bringing in whatever materials he could use from outside the division barracks and introducing them to the girl. Slowly, her understanding of the world increased, and with that came a little more fascination for the knowledge that she did not possess. His heart ached when he watched Mash discreetly and saw her gaze longingly into the outside world.

When she first started reading a picture book, that was when Romani knew that he found the key. Books described everything that he had no knowledge of, and the twinkle in her eyes was something that he saw for the first time in the formerly emotionless girl. For the first time, there was interest in her gaze.

Years passed, and Mash grew into a young lady while she continued her treatments. Romani decided to enroll her in Shin'ou Academy once she was well enough so that she could get a proper education. Looking back at it, he was glad for the decision, because when Mash graduated as an honors student with a new zanpakutou in her belt, he was finally reassured that a real personality had blossomed in her, one that she developed of her own will.

* * *

Romani blinked back into the present, and found Mash staring up at him expectantly. He took a sip of his lukewarm coffee and tried to break the awkward silence. "Did you try to figure out the clues by yourself in the later books?" he asked.

Mash looked back into the tea in her hands, then slowly rubbed her cup. "N-not yet…They're really hard to find, even when I knew what I had to look for." She mumbled awkwardly.

Romani laughed softly, then gently ruffled her hair. "It's normal to not learn anything instantly." He reassured her. "Everything takes effort to learn, and it varies with everyone. Some may learn quicker, some may learn slower, but what's important is that you're making an effort to progress. Even if you fail, you can still proudly say that you tried, and found a way that you knew wouldn't work in the future."

"Then what about your paperwork, Doctor?" she asked suddenly, and he lifted his hand from her head in surprise. "You know that it's not going to complete itself." She was now glaring at the captain. It was cute, with her cheeks slightly puffed and her purple eyes narrowed, but Romani could sense the silent threat behind it to force him to work.

He brought one hand behind his head. "Ahahaha…I'll work on it now." He rubbed his head as he laughed awkwardly.

Mash stared back longingly into her tea, then set it down and slowly walked towards the door, but Romani stopped her.

"You're free to stay if you want." He said. "It doesn't bother me."

The smile she gave was worth it. Romani moved a pile of his paperwork from his desk to the coffee table in front of his sofa and got working, with Mash next to him simply enjoying her tea.

* * *

"Oya?" the green haired man looked curiously at the scene in front of him.

Romani's office was a mess as usual, with a pile of paperwork still left untouched on his desk. Another two piles were on the coffee table, along with a cup of cold coffee and tea each. The man found the captain sleeping quietly on his sofa, one hand under a clipboard and the other loosely holding a pen. The ink had seeped into the paper on the clipboard, leaving a large splotch on it. His haori was draped lovingly over his young lieutenant. The girl was similarly sleeping soundly on the sofa, with her head leaning against the shoulder of the captain. Their backs were lit by the glow of the morning sun.

There was a slight pang of disappointment from a lost chance of teasing the peach-haired captain, but the figure of a sleeping Romani and Mash was cute enough that it made up for the lost opportunity.

"Well then, it would be rude of me to disturb this nap, wouldn't it?" he mused.

He was very glad he did not bring his lieutenant with him, because he knew she would wake them up, and rather loudly at that. Instead, he muffled his own steps, and added his own small stack of papers on top of the pile on the desk, signed in the corner with the name "David".

He walked out of the office without alerting the sleeping figures.

* * *

_**Fourth Division notable members list:** _

**Romani Archaman**

Position: Fourth Division Captain

Shikai: _Sheba_

Manifests as a plain, golden ring on his finger. It gives Romani the ability to see into the immediate future. Holds the record for smallest zanpakutou in existence.

Bankai: _Ars Nova_

It is said that only a select few people know what it can do. All it is commonly known is that it is not a bankai to be used easily.

Romani Archaman is the primary doctor of Seireitei, and captain of the Fourth Division. He is a kind, carefree man who nevertheless makes the physical and mental health of Seireitei his priority. He is cowardly, lazy, and passive, but when push comes to shove he will step up to lead. Because of this, he is well-loved by the members of his division. He was the one to set up a system for mental healthcare within Seireitei, in addition to updating the technology used to treat patients. Despite all his achievements, many people, including captains, somehow end up blaming their problems on him, thus he is bullied rather often.

**Mash Kyrielight**

Position: Fourth Division Lieutenant

Shikai: _Lord Chaldeas_

A cross-shaped shield taller than Mash herself. It can erect barriers strong enough to withstand Kido no. 90 without a scratch.

Unofficially Romani's adoptive daughter, Mash is actually a partial clone of a certain lieutenant, but developed her own personality. She is aware of the unusual circumstances behind her birth, but does not let it affect her. Sweet, kind, but somewhat timid, she gives her all in her tasks. Her determination shows when she works under pressure, or when she wrangles her captain to actually do his paperwork.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's our favourite Doctor and kouhai combo! I tried to write a chapter depicting their father/daughter relationship and accidentally made it a flashback chapter then ran out of things to write, whoops.
> 
> I've been getting comments from people wanting to have POVs other than those from the Shinigami. Unfortunately I don't have any intention of continuing this series after the last chapter planned (unless the interest is REALLY high) and almost all of them will be focusing on the Shinigami side of things. I don't trust my storytelling abilities to put the characters into a coherent storyline and I'd rather spare you from reading something that bad. So just sit back, relax, and enjoy some fluff!


	5. Chapter 5

A cool breeze. It was cloudy, but it was also the perfect weather to enjoy the view of Seireitei without the morning sun glaring in her eyes. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the momentary peace of the city as she relaxed on the highest rooftop of her division barracks.

A soft whoosh alerted her to a new presence, but she was not alarmed in the least. After all, it was a favoured spot of her captain as well.

"Taichou, you're back already?" the girl with long, blonde twin tails asked her captain. "I thought you were gonna take longer."

David raised his hand in greeting as he met his lieutenant. "Seems like Romani-kun had a night shift. It would be rude for me to disturb his rest, would it?"

She pouted a little in response. "I'm still mad that you didn't take me. I wanted to go see Mash!"

"Maa, it is a busy division, unlike ours." David tried to placate her. "Maybe next time, Bradamante-chan."

She made a face, but her eyes then wandered to the small white bottle in his hands. Her blue eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"Sake this early in the morning?" she asked. "You still have the rest of the day to go through, taichou."

"Oh come on, wine is best enjoyed in the company of a beautiful lady like you." David replied easily, then sat down on the red tiled rooftop, next to Bradamante. He brought out two small ceramic cups and offered one to his lieutenant. "Want some?"

"No thanks." She replied bluntly. "I prefer to keep my sobriety until the end of the workday."

"Spoilsport." The captain grumbled, then poured a small cup of alcohol for himself and took a sip. "Ahh, this is the ideal life!"

Despite what she said, Bradamante had to agree with David. It was a casual day with no emergencies, no battles looming on the horizon, and no urgent paperwork to be done.

By nature, the Fifth Division was one that did not specialize in any particular area, unlike the Second, Fourth, Ninth and Twelfth divisions, nor were they filled with combat powerhouses like the First, Third or Eleventh. They just went on routine patrols, filled in gaps wherever needed with manpower, and generally kept the peace of Seireitei. Their workload was light, and David even encouraged his division members to enjoy their time as much as possible, advocating for a good work and life balance. Somehow, he still managed to keep the division running, with everything done in a timely manner, and their members able to competently finish whatever tasks that were thrown at them. This idyllic system left Bradamante and David with a lot of free time on their hands.

It was truly the ideal life, but it would be so much more enjoyable if she could just find the one and share it with him…

It was quite unfortunate for her that she just had to be a part of Gotei Thirteen's elite forces as a lieutenant, and a decently powerful one at that. She knew men tend to be cowed by women being more powerful than them in any way, but Bradamante accepted the sad fact that it may take decades, or even centuries, for her to find her destined one. Despite David often making comments close to sexual harassment to almost every female that he comes across, she knew he was a married man and quite faithful to his wife. It was Bradamante's job to restrain him by rejecting all of his advances.

She watched the man take another sip of his sake, his green eyes distantly watching the city wake up, his wavy green hair fluttering around with the breeze, which was kept out of his face by his white hairband. He was an unassuming man, but still one of the fourteen captains, the most powerful individuals of the Gotei. She knew from firsthand experience to never underestimate the man, when she watched him tear apart a pack of Hollows with just a few well-placed projectiles from his shikai and a simple swing of his hand.

Perhaps this was the reason why she decided to follow the captain – a sense of curiosity about the man and who he really is.

David noticed the gaze on him, then offered the empty cup again. "Changed your mind about the sake?" he asked playfully.

"Nope." Bradamante replied. She plucked the bottle from his side and stood up, keeping it well beyond his reach as he tried to reach the bottle, but did not move from his seat on the roof. "It's too early for you to get drunk, taichou. Plus, I don't want vomit all over the rooftop."

A commotion below caught their attention before the argument could escalate, and they both turned towards the source of the sound.

Two Shinigami were arguing with each other about something. Bradamante gave a sigh.

"I'm going to take care of that." She said absentmindedly, then leapt off the rooftop with a light step of _shunpo._

"Ack, hey, my wine!" David called when he realised that his lieutenant had taken his bottle of sake with her. He only hoped that she would not spill it while settling the argument. However, he made no attempt to follow after her. He may have a good rapport with his division members, but he knew that Bradamante was better at appealing herself to everyone that she met.

Her pigtails flew behind her as she made a perfect three-point landing between the bickering Shinigami, then stood up and bonked them lightly on the head with the sake bottle still in her hand. "I can hear you all the way from the roof, you know." She chided gently. "At least keep your volume down!"

Both people stared at the unexpected interference, wondering where she had come from. The two Shinigami at least had the sense to look remorseful, but they were still glaring daggers at each other. Bradamante casually stepped between them, then put down her captain's bottle on a windowsill before it became a liability. She turned back to the Shinigami and put her hands on her hips.

"So," she began, her eyes on both people. "Is there something I can help you with?"

"He stole my lucky charm!" one of them accused, pointing a finger at the other Shinigami. "He was the only person who came into my room today, and I know I left it on my desk before I went for breakfast! Then when I came back after, it was gone!"

"Why would I even want to take that musty charm?" the other retorted. "I barely stepped into your room because I thought you were still sleeping, and I didn't touch anything!"

"Then how did it disappear?"

"Why are you asking me? I have no idea, and I would have helped you look for it if you didn't come at me screaming!"

"Alright!" Bradamante spread her arms wide between them and bodily kept the two Shinigami away from each other before the argument got physical. "Lucky charms are pretty personal and have a different meaning for everyone, so don't insult them!" She said. "Now, how about let's go find it before it's forever lost?"

She trooped the two Shinigami to the room where it was lost. It was a simple, but neatly kept room. A single bed occupied the far corner, while the desk was placed next to it against the only wall with a window. They were currently open, and the curtains framing it fluttered along with the breeze. A wardrobe stood at the foot of the bed against the wall, and a small shelf of books and scrolls was placed on the desk. All in all, a typical room that belonged to a normal division member.

Bradamante looked around the room from the doorway, then walked in as the two Shinigami followed curiously. She methodically checked the possible locations, crouching under the bed and desk, lifting the sheets on the bed, looking under the small pile of books on the desk.

Then she spotted it – a single, slightly muddy paw print on the table near the open window. She examined the ledge closely, and found a short strand of white hair. She climbed onto the window ledge and pulled herself up the wall and onto the roof, ignoring the surprised yelps of the Shinigami in the room that she left behind.

Her eyes scanned the rooftop, looking for signs of the suspected culprit. She found it on the top of another roof twenty meters away from her. The cat was basking in what little sunlight there was on the rooftop, its white fur making it stand out against the red tiles. Between its front paws was a small, slightly chewed on red cloth bag, along with a string hoop attached to it. Bradamante crept up behind the animal before it noticed her, then gently picked it up.

The cat yowled in surprise and tried to claw her, but the girl kept it at arm's length as she bent down to pick up the charm. She then dropped back into the room she came from, this time from the corridor.

"Is this yours?" she held up the red charm.

The Shinigami's eyes widened in happiness. "Oh, that's the one! Thank you so much, Bradamante-fukutaichou!"

Bradamante waved with the hand still full of a cat trying to scratch her, then left the Shinigami to their daily lives. She was on her way to the front gate of the barracks when she heard shuffling behind her.

"Bradamante-chaaaan…" David whined pitifully. "My sake…"

She was not impressed. "It's on the windowsill out near the courtyard." She said. "Go find it yourself. I still need to let this cat out."

Said cat yowled again.

David blinked at the ball of fur still trying to reach Bradamante's arms with its claws, as if he just realised that there was something highly unusual in his lieutenant's hand.

"How did a cat get in?" he asked.

"Who knows?" she shrugged. She turned back towards the gate before her captain could reply.

* * *

"There you go, little guy." Bradamante let the cat down outside the Fifth Division barracks. "Don't try to steal charms again, okay?"

It scampered off immediately, weaving between the legs of a Shinigami that happened to pass by. She blinked once, then spotted Bradamante at the gate.

"How did you get a cat?" She asked curiously

Bradamante brightened when she saw the speaker. Golden hair neatly gathered into a bun and fixed with a blue bow, green eyes, and a graceful posture. Her hands hung casually by her side, and she wore the standard white haori typical for captains loosely around her frame.

"Ah, Pendragon-taichou!" the lieutenant waved enthusiastically. "I think it accidentally wandered into our barracks from the rooftops. Don't worry, it's not hurt!"

Artoria Pendragon gave a satisfied smile. "That's good to know. I'll see you around then, Bradamante-san."

They gave one last wave at each other, then went back to their own business.

* * *

_**Fifth Division notable members list:** _

**David**

Position: Fifth Division Captain

Shikai: _Hamesh Avanim_

A simple slingshot, which can be loaded with ammunition made from David's reiatsu. They are homing projectiles and will always hit their intended target.

Bankai: _Ark of the Covenant_

A giant golden boat that can protect David and his allies with reishi barriers. Any enemy that tries to touch or destroy the boat is killed immediately.

David is the captain of the Fifth Division. He is a competent leader, but full of vices. He loves beautiful women, good food and wine, yet somehow manages to live a simple life. He seems unimpressive at first glance, but he is the reason that their division is one of the few to never have budgeting troubles due to his excellent economic sense. He hates fighting and would much rather laze around, but does not grant mercy to his opponents.

**Bradamante**

Position: Fifth Division Lieutenant

Shikai: _Bouclier d'Atlante_

A short combat staff and star-shaped shield. Strangely enough, it is the shield that can shoot concentrated beams of energy at targets, not the staff.

Bradamante is the lieutenant of the Fifth Division. She is a cheerful, excitable girl with a strong sense of justice, and can match David's easygoing attitude, but is a hopeless romantic. Due to her personal history, she hates kido specialists, but is a fangirl of a particular person that guided her through her life. Because of this, her grasp on kido is rudimentary. However, she makes up for it by being an expert with a staff and shield. Many suspect that she only got her role because David enjoyed looking at her body, but she nevertheless does her job competently.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By FAR the hardest chapter to write. David and Bradamante never interacted with each other in canon, and Bradamante isn't even released on NA yet so I could only get a general feel of her personality through the lines recorded on the JP server. Honestly I don't feel like their personalities mesh together all that well, but I worked with what I had. I decided to center the chapter around one of Bradamante's quirks, where she said she was good at finding lost things.


	6. Chapter 6

Her steps were light as she walked casually to a restaurant, idly fantasizing about the food she was going to order today. Mealtimes were always a highlight of the day for her, and she made a point to visit a different restaurant every day. Her barrack cafeteria served good food, but she could only stand the same types of meals for so long. Besides, she felt confident that she could leave her division alone for an hour or two. The Sixth Division was well-known for their strict discipline, and they can function well even without her for extended periods of time.

By now, her presence on the streets of Seireitei during lunchtime has become a common event. Most Shinigami ignored her and went about their daily lives, though there were a few who gave her friendly greetings, which she returned in kind. Her footsteps took her towards an alleyway tucked between the Eighth and Ninth Divisions. It was somewhat far from her own division, but it was worth coming here for the food.

She stepped into a tiny restaurant with only five tables, three of which were already occupied by other Shinigami. A delicious smell of cooked food wafted into her nose. The owner and chef of the restaurant, a man in his twilight years, hollered a greeting.

"Pendragon-taichou! It is an honor for you to visit this humble establishment!"

All eyes turned towards Artoria Pendragon, but she was used to the attention. Instead, she ignored the stares and walked towards the single counter space.

"It is a charming restaurant, sir." She said, taking her seat on the wooden barstool. The walls were covered with wooden planks scribbled with today's menu – an assortment of rice bowls, cold dishes and tempura, all filling dishes that would provide enough energy for Shinigami to finish their afternoon tasks, but tasty enough to serve as a distraction from their work at the same time. Artoria silently gave her approval for the choice of food on the menu.

The restaurant was lit by several paper lamps that hung from the ceiling, casting a warm glow on the walls. There was only one small window near the door she came from, but that just made the place cozier. A slight chill still lingered in the spring air, so Artoria was thankful for the heat emanating from the kitchen.

The older man finished wiping down an empty table then returned to the kitchen behind the counter. "What do you want to order today, ma'am?" he asked roughly, but not unkindly.

She studied the menu hung around the restaurant. "For now, can I get an agedashi tofu, edamame, pickled vegetables, karaage, a mixed tempura and ochazuke?" she rattled off the dishes that looked most appealing to her.

"Comin' right up, ma'am!" The man immediately turned back and started working.

Ten minutes later, Artoria's side dishes were balanced precariously on the tiny counter space. She sampled each one, enjoying the myriad of flavours and textures in her mouth, then dug in with gusto. Before her chazuke arrived, she had already polished off all the dishes served and stacked the empty plates neatly on top of each other. The chef placed a steaming bowl of rice with toppings and a small pot of hot tea in front of her, then eyed the empty plates nervously.

"H-how did you like the food, Pendragon-taichou…?" he asked, voice small.

"Every one of them was delicious, sir." She replied kindly. "It's clear that you put a great deal of effort into them for it to be so exquisite. Ah, can I also have oyakodon, tamagoyaki, seaweed salad and pork gyoza?"

Forty minutes later, Artoria finished the last grains of her meal, wiped her mouth gracefully with a napkin, thanked the owner and left the restaurant satisfied. The chef waved after her, then turned towards the pile of dishes she left on the counter. He counted ten small plates, 2 baskets, three bowls and one empty cup of tea. Privately, he wondered how she fit all of that into her stomach without gaining weight, or even looking like she was gorging herself on food. Throughout the entire meal, her table manners were perfect, befitting of someone of her high status. Yet, the speed at which the food disappeared was astonishing.

He let his mind idly wander for a few more moments, then cleared out the dirty dishes.

* * *

"I was wondering when you would be back, taichou." The young man blinked at Artoria in the Sixth Division barracks with his one visible purple eye. The other was hidden behind his mop of white hair, as usual for him. He held a stack of papers in his hands, his posture as upright as ever. His lieutenant badge was neatly fixed on his right arm. "The others are waiting in the dojo."

"Thank you for letting me know, Galahad." Artoria replied. "Will you join us later?"

"After I deliver these to Archaman-taichou." Galahad said. "The papers can't wait anymore."

"You should go and visit Mash too then." She suggested. "She would be glad to see you."

He made a non-committal sound in his throat and looked away. "I don't have the right to see her."

"You always do." She gently retorted. "She doesn't hold anything against you."

"I know." He replied.

Artoria waited a few moments for an answer she was hoping for, but received none. She let her lieutenant go.

She knew his participation of the cloning experiment was something he had always regretted deep inside his heart. Not of the experiment itself – Galahad volunteered himself with full knowledge of the process – but rather the way he handled the aftermath.

Instead of guiding the young girl conceived from this process, he had abandoned her at the Fourth. Artoria knew it was not his fault. Being her lieutenant was a busy job, and there simply was no time to visit her, much less attempt to be her family. Then he saw how happy Mash was with the captain of the Fourth Division, and Galahad silently removed himself entirely from her life.

Artoria wished that Galahad knew he was allowed to be a part of that happiness, but for all her strengths, persuasion was not one of them.

So she tried her best to nudge him towards interacting with Mash more, even in a work setting. However, progress has been slow. She took one last look at Galahad's back as it disappeared around the corner, then walked towards the barrack dojo.

* * *

Afternoons at the Sixth Division were dedicated to combat practice. Members either practiced by themselves, with other members, or, as the case for this particular afternoon, took lessons from their captain. Artoria walked into the dojo hall and surveyed the room.

Ten Shinigami were scattered around on the tatami floor, quietly conversing with each other. The walls were made of plain, but sturdy wood, while windows lined the right wall, offering a view into the courtyard. A basket of bokken was placed in the corner next to the doorway, and each Shinigami had one near them. She nodded to herself, satisfied with the image. She took a wooden bokken from the basket and planted it into the floor, which grabbed everyone's attention. They stood up straight, with their hands by their sides.

"Good afternoon, Pendragon-taichou!" They chorused.

"Good afternoon." She announced. Her hands settled on the pommel of her bokken. "Training is in session now! Everyone, to your positions!"

* * *

Half an hour after she started a set of exercises for the assembled Shinigami, Artoria heard the door creak open. She turned around and saw Galahad walk in with his own bokken in hand. They nodded to each other and he quietly joined his fellow Shinigami in the back, following the exercises.

Technically, he did not need the lessons. He is skillful enough to beat a good portion of the Shinigami in Seireitei without breaking a sweat, including a few lieutenants from other divisions. However, Artoria knew that he valued the effort of training to keep his body and mind sharp. Plus, she appreciated the help he often gave while tutoring newer division members by correcting postures if she was busy working with others.

Another ten minutes of sword exercises later, she called for a break. Some members collapsed onto the floor, though others managed to stay on their feet. Galahad walked back to the front, next to Artoria.

"What do you think, Galahad?" she asked. There was no need to clarify what she meant.

"They're improving." He stated. "But I worry about their stamina. If some of them are already collapsing at this amount of training, perhaps we should stop and increase their stamina first."

"Yes, I'd say I agree." She replied. "However, their forms are still sloppier than I want. How about we get them to do some sparring with each other?"

* * *

"Keep your arms stiff!" Artoria commanded as her bokken slammed against her opponent's. "You will be pushed back if you bend them so easily!"

Her opponent, a middle-aged man, grunted then hastily tried to lock his arms in position before she could break her defenses. All around the dojo hall, people were paired off with each other, yelling out battle cries as they sparred with each other.

The man tried to shift his position into a defensive one, but Artoria took the chance to push past his guard, slamming her pommel into his gut. He collapsed back onto the tatami mat. She flicked her bokken to the side, then offered a hand. "I can see that you tried." She noted. "However, changing your position while uncomfortable is not a good idea. It is better to disengage and adjust yourself to something you're more familiar with instead."

"Yes ma'am!" he replied, then gratefully took the hand. She pulled him back up to a standing position. "But taichou…we often feel like we can't catch up to you."

Artoria frowned slightly at that statement. She was aware of her own talent in swordsmanship, but she did not know that her division saw her as an unreachable goal in terms of skill. The man shrunk into himself a little when he saw the expression, but she softened.

"There's no need to compare yourself to me." She reassured him. "You should be comparing yourself to the man you were yesterday, and decide if you have improved or not. What's important is that you are better than before, and while having a goal is useful, there are no shortcuts to swordsmanship. It is a process that differs for each person. One day, you may look back and realise how far you have come."

His eyes widened a little. "Yes, Pendragon-taichou!" he yelled, then gave a deep bow.

"Keep it up." She said. "Work on your core strength so that it can spread evenly to your body." She moved on to the next person.

* * *

"Good work today, Galahad." Artoria offered her lieutenant a cold flask of water. They were sitting on the benches in the empty barrack garden, the skies tinted pink with the dusk sun.

He accepted the flask with both hands. "You too, taichou." Galahad replied. He took a long sip, then gave a small sigh of satisfaction. Meanwhile, she wiped her face with a fresh towel that hung around her neck. Training new recruits did not make her tired, but she still worked up a sweat in the slightly stuffy dojo.

They enjoyed the companionable silence together as a cool breeze wafted through. The garden was quite simple, built with a small stone pathway that winded through the area. Cherry blossom trees dotted the place, with the first flower buds showing on the branches. The grass was well-maintained by the division, and low hedges provided splashes of green amongst the brown of the trees and the white of the walls.

In fact, it was too quiet. Artoria wracked her brain for an answer, then realised why.

"I don't hear Hippogriff." She noted.

"Ah," Galahad looked up from his own musings. "I heard that Soutaichou sent the Seventh Division out for a mission in Rukongai. The captain, lieutenant and Third Seat all went out for it."

Artoria raised one eyebrow. "Is it that bad?" she asked. "For all three of them to be sent out, it must be pretty serious."

"Something about a possible Hollow nest." He replied. "Apparently it's killed a few Shinigami from the Second Division already, but Raikou-taichou had enough information for El-Melloi-taichou to come up with a strategy to deal with it."

"And that strategy happened to be to throw a nuke at the problem." She noted.

"I think he just wanted to be safe." He said. "Better than more Shinigami dying while we worked on paperwork."

It was at that moment when Artoria realised that she did not do her paperwork for the day. She mentally berated herself for forgetting something so fundamental to her job.

But well, it was a rare day to enjoy the sunset without a screeching Hippogriff disturbing the peace. She figured that it was acceptable to savour the peace before it would be inevitably broken.

* * *

_**Sixth Division notable members list:** _

**Artoria Pendragon**

Position: Sixth Division Captain

Shikai: _Caliburn_

A two-handed longsword wreathed in a glamor of wind, rendering it invisible. It can shoot out powerful tornadoes.

Bankai: _Excalibur_

A golden blade that shares a similar form with Caliburn, but without the invisibility glamor. There are thirteen seals on it that can be released when specific conditions are met. It becomes more powerful with more seals released. At full power, one swing of the sword can reshape landscapes.

Artoria is the captain of the Sixth Division. She was trained by a legendary Shinigami, but the process has left her somewhat traumatized. She embodies the concept of a knight with her chivalrous, kingly nature. Many find her hard to approach because of her cold demeanor, but she is actually quite friendly. However, she has an extremely strong competitive streak and strives to be better than everyone. Gilgamesh is enamored with her and keeps asking for her hand in marriage, but she finds him distasteful and rejects his advances. She loves delicious food and is a giant glutton. For unknown reasons, her face is identical to Gray's. She is one of the three best swordsmen in the Gotei.

**Galahad**

Position: Sixth Division Lieutenant

Shikai: _Lord Camelot_

A cross-shaped shield identical to the shikai of the Fourth Division lieutenant. However, his has the additional effect of revitalizing his allies.

Galahad is Artoria's main enforcer of rules in the Sixth Division. He is the person who volunteered for the cloning experiment, making Mash his half clone. He is virtuous, dutiful and has a rigid sense of justice, which makes him somewhat inflexible on certain issues. However, he is also a skilled fighter, able to knock out large groups of enemies despite having a defensive zanpakutou. Beneath the stoic exterior lies a highly intelligent and strategic mind, and he enjoys shogi as a pastime.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am not quite happy about how I portrayed Galahad here. I had meant to go in a little more about his thoughts, but it ended up being too focused on Artoria instead.
> 
> The little tidbit about Mash being a clone of Galahad has been foreshadowed in Chapter 4, but it should be fairly obvious to people who know the storyline for FGO. I did get one comment about it, so yup, your theory was correct!
> 
> As of this chapter, my backlog is completely empty now. Just a heads up, next chapter may be delayed by a week because I am still bum-rushing my dissertation for my graduate course (don't be me. Seriously.), and the due date is next Thursday. Probably won't have enough energy to tap out a new chapter even if I have a general idea of what I want to do already. So, see you all in 2 weeks!


	7. Chapter 7

The last embers of sunlight were fading quickly in the dense forest, some ways away from the nearest town in the 65th district of Rukongai. Shirou squinted in the dark shadows as he scanned for his next footing. With some help from a light _shunpo_ , he jumped from one tree branch to another, barely disturbing the leaves on the tree. The spring air was still chilly at night, but it was crisp and refreshing, which contrasted heavily to the serious importance of their mission.

He spared a glance towards the sky, where a member from his division soared through the twilight skies on a majestic beast. It somehow had the front and wings of an eagle and the back of a horse, something that should be impossible in every way. He had considered the possibility of it being an abnormal Hollow, but it does not have the telltale hole in its chest, nor does it have anything resembling a bone mask.

In short, nobody knew what Hippogriff is, least of all its owner. He was not the kind of person to sweat the details, or anything that required thinking in general.

"See anything yet, Astolfo?" Shirou asked into his communication device. It crackled to life as he heard his Third Seat's reply.

"Not yet, Amakusa." He replied. "All I see are more trees, and there isn't even a clearing for me to land on!"

At this point, Shirou gave up asking Astolfo to call him by his proper title of lieutenant.

"Keep looking." Shirou replied. "You can take a break later."

He shut his communicator before he could hear the whine of the slightly childish man. Even now, after working together for decades, Shirou still gets a slight case of wrongness whenever they interact. Not in a malicious way though, just off-putting. He had lost count of the number of people who assumed that Astolfo was a woman based on his high pitched, feminine voice, his long pink hair, and his energetic presence. Even his choice of casual attire looked more feminine than masculine, which did not help matters. Shirou would not deny that it was amusing to see the eyes of men who hit on Astolfo glaze over when they inevitably find out he is a man though.

"Anything yet?" A soft voice suddenly asked.

"Astolfo hasn't seen anything yet, taichou." Shirou replied.

"It's definitely in this area though." The white-haired man mused while he lightly hopped from one branch to another, slightly leading Shirou. His white haori was still spotless despite the trek, and there was no inflection in his voice to indicate any kind of strain on his body. "I can feel the Hollow reiatsu, the only question is where they're hiding."

Shirou agreed. The whole forest was saturated with the dense miasma signature of Hollows, indicating a large congregation of them somewhere within. However, that same miasma made it difficult to pinpoint the location of their "nest", a semi-permanent portal from Hueco Mundo to Soul Society, and a place for Hollows to rest before they devoured more unlucky souls. They are usually quite rare, but since the presence of Hollow nests almost always indicated the presence of powerful Hollows, the Gotei usually sent in a team of powerful Shinigami to destroy them instead of risking the lives of rank and file Shinigami. For this particular nest, the Seventh Division received the mission, though Shirou suspected that the main reason was because his captain possessed one of the most powerful bankai in Seireitei, and cannot turn down a request.

There is a reason his captain is nicknamed "Launcher", after all.

* * *

The night was already cloudy, but the shadows cast by the trees made the surroundings even darker. Shirou and Karna were now squinting in the darkness trying to find his footing, and this slowed down their progress. It had been almost four days since they left Seireitei, and even though they still had plenty of supplies, the pace is starting to grind on Shirou's nerves. Regardless, today was the closest they got to finding the nest, and the prospect of being done with this mission was tantalising.

"Oh, I think I see something!" Astolfo called out through his communicator. "I'll go ahead and check!"

"Hey! Don't go too far ahead!" Shirou tried to rein him in, but it was too late - he heard the telltale swoosh of Hippogriff swooping ahead in the sky. He suppressed a swear, then dropped to the ground and ran to keep up. Karna was already ahead of him, his katana at the ready.

It did not take them long to encounter the first Hollow they found in the forest. It barrelled straight at them, with spiny claws extended to skewer them. Shirou used a burst of shunpo and slid between the creature's legs, while Karna jumped cleanly over its head and brought down his katana, slicing the bone mask in half. The Hollow dissipated in a cloud of dust.

Ten minutes and a smattering of Hollow dust later, Shirou heard a sharp cry above him. He looked up in alarm and found Astolfo on Hippogriff diving at supersonic speed right towards them, with a long trail of flying Hollows hot on their heels.

"Help meeeeeee!" Astolfo shrieked in a pitch that should not be possible for any man past puberty.

Shirou scrambled for his zanpakutou and yanked it out of its scabbard.

" _Grant salvation, Miike Tenta Mitsuyo!_ " He yelled the incantation to release his zanpakutou before the Hollows descended upon them, then prepared the first spell that came to mind. " _Hyapporankan!_ "

The kido was one of medium difficulty, meant for pinning opponents with long poles. However, under the effects of Shirou's shikai, it turned into a veritable storm of enlarged needles enough to skewer most low level Hollows. Hippogriff gave a squawk and blurred right above Shirou's head, close enough to feel the front claws graze his hair. The first Hollow managed to punch into the mirage left by the beast, but only had a moment to look confused before it was skewered by Shirou's kido. The front half of Astolfo's chasers turned into a trail of dust when _Hyapporankan_ faded, and he landed next to Shirou with a grin on his face.

"Thanks! Knew you could save me!" He said cheerfully.

Shirou resisted the urge to facepalm.

"Don't run off straight into danger next time!" He gave an exasperated sigh.

Astolfo sheepishly bonked himself on the head with his fist and stuck out his tongue, while Hippogriff shook its head.

"Ehehehehe…" Astolfo let out an awkward chuckle. "I thought it was okay with Hippogriff…"

"How is going into a Hollow nest in any way considered safe?!"

The pink-haired man had no comeback.

"Well it worked out, so it's fine!" Astolfo punched his fist into the air. "Don't worry about me and catch up to Karna - I can handle the rest!"

Shirou watched Astolfo take off into the skies again, with one hand pulling out his zanpakutou.

" _Fall, Trap of Argalia!_ "

The katana morphed into a long white lance tipped with gold, then he spurred Hippogriff on. It flew straight into the thick of the Hollows still chasing after them. With his lance in a classic jousting position, Astolfo punched through most of the Hollows, leaving some with gaping wounds and grounding the rest, which made them easy pickings for Shirou and Karna, who were still sprinting ahead into the direction where the Hollows came from.

Another ten minutes of running, and they found what Astolfo had probably spotted from the sky - two inky black portals hovering in the air in a clearing, with masses of Hollows crawling on the ground. There were crude, faint anchors of reishi tying the portals down to the ground, which was probably what kept them open.

"Astolfo." Karna spoke up into his communicator. "Send the Hollows here."

"Okay~" He replied in a singsong voice. "Just give me a few minutes to round them up!"

Shirou immediately recognised the tactic they were about to use. It was a simple but highly devastating combination that took advantage of the unique strengths that each member had. He was the one who came up with it, but Karna helped him refine the strategy so that it could be used in any situation.

Like the one they are in right now.

Shirou dove to the left and felt a knife of some sort graze his shoulder. He ignored the stab of pain and rolled to a stop, then blindly sent out a wordless blast of _Souren Sokatsui,_ incinerating a line of Hollows behind him and leaving a small seal on the ground. Karna had already released his zanpakutou, changing his usual shihakusho and haori into a set of golden armor and spear to blast Hollows with waves of fiery energy. Shirou continued running around the perimeter of the clearing, blasting the stray Hollows that had gone into the forest and placing more seals for a spell that he had in mind.

He was glad that the Captain-Commander had decided to send a captain along with the team, because this number of Hollows was too much for anyone under captain (or lieutenant, in the case of Enkidu) power to handle, even if the individual enemies were weak. Most would run out of energy only a few minutes in, and even Shirou was starting to feel a drain on his reiatsu reserves as he blasted spell after spell and occasionally parried or sliced a Hollow apart. The increasing number of Hollows pouring in from one of the portals was not helping matters.

However, Karna looked like he was barely breaking a sweat. His fiery reiatsu lit up the entire clearing like a midnight sun, burning Hollows and the surroundings alike. Shirou was not worried about the forest burning down though - he knew his captain controlled the flames well enough to only burn within the clearing.

"Incomingggg!" Astolfo's scream cut through the roars of the Hollows on the ground as Hippogriff dived straight into the middle of the clearing, dragging a long line of flying Hollows with him. Shirou slammed the last seal for his spell on a tree trunk, then leapt out of the way of a charging Hollow and ran towards Hippogriff. With one last burst of _shunpo_ , he landed heavily behind Astolfo on the back of his ride. It squawked in protest at the additional weight, but blurred into another plane right before it hit the ground.

And was that not weird. As far as Shirou knew, there was no magic for temporarily phasing one's body into another dimension to avoid attacks, but that was exactly the special ability of Hippogriff, and when he grilled Astolfo about it, who was the first one to explain it to Shirou, he did not know why, or how Hippogriff came to acquire that ability either.

It was still a very useful ability though.

The world blurred back into existence a split second later, already high up in the air. Their captain had also leapt up and found a foothold in the empty air, far above the masses of Hollows still trying to untangle themselves from the heap. His spear was poised high above his head, just waiting for the signal.

Shirou gave it.

"Bakudo no. 73: _Tozanshou_!" He channelled his reiatsu through his shikai to the seals, which glowed and extended out blue planes that surrounded the entire clearing. The kido was usually a spell for protection, but this particular one was modified into a prison with an open top, trapping the Hollows and the two portals into a limited area. It was already starting to crack from the pressure of several dozen Hollows pressing against it, but Shirou was not worried. The barrier was not meant to be permanent anyway.

A surge of reiatsu tore his attention away from his weakening barrier. Karna's armor was stripped away, but his spear was growing larger by the second, washing the entire forest in a golden light like the sunrise.

" _Bankai: Vasavi Shakti!_ "

Karna pointed the spear, now twice as tall as him, down towards the mob of Hollows. The energy gathered at the tip of the spear pulsated once, then shot out like a laser. It hit the center of the group perfectly, then raised a giant column of intense flame, as if the sun had fallen at that place in all its blazing glory.

It was a rare chance to see a bankai in action, so Shirou savoured this moment as Astolfo steered Hippogriff further away from the inferno still licking at their feet.

"Good job, everyone." There was a gentle smile on Karna as he sheathed his zanpakuto into his scabbard, now back in its sealed form, satisfied with their mission completed. "Are you hurt?"

"Not too badly." Shirou replied, already working on a simple healing spell to mend the cuts and grazes on him. "I'll be fine soon."

"Are you sure you don't need some of my reiatsu to help?" Karna asked back. "You look tired."

"And so do you!" Astolfo retorted. His braid was matted with leaves and branches, but he otherwise looked fine. "We all know how much that bankai takes out of you!"

Karna blinked. "I feel fine though."

"Just get on Hippogriff already and we can go back!"

They left the forest on a highly annoyed Hippogriff, leaving behind two destroyed portals and a melting pile of goo that originally belonged to a large mass of Hollows. The clearing was completely destroyed, with a bare crater being the only indication that something was once here.

* * *

Two days later, they arrived at the gates of Seireitei. As they walked through them, another figure blurred to a stop next to them.

"Back already? I thought you were going to take longer." The figure revealed himself as a man with wild white hair, his lieutenant badge fixed neatly on his arm.

"I tried my best to keep Karna-taichou and Astolfo from getting distracted." Shirou replied simply.

Karna's expression did not change, but Astolfo pouted at the remark as he led Hippogriff by its reins. "I don't give away supplies all the time!"

"Yes, but you go and chase after everything that interests you." Shirou said. "Go ahead and put Hippogriff back in the stable, then take a break before you tire yourself out further."

Astolfo gave a little casual salute, then skipped ahead towards the Seventh Division barracks with Hippogriff.

Karna turned back to the Eighth Division lieutenant. "Did you just come back from a mission too, Dantes-san?"

"Was just a scouting mission." Edmond Dantes replied. "Nothing like yours."

"Good to know." Karna replied. "We ended up finding a Hollow nest with two portals."

Edmond whirled around. "Two?"

Shirou wanted to smack himself in the head. He had been so preoccupied with destroying the nest and staying alive, he forgot the nagging oddity that had gnawed at him since then.

Hollow nests almost always only had one portal - a passage from Hueco Mundo to Soul Society. Why were there two this time?

* * *

_**Seventh Division notable members list:** _

**Karna**

Position: Seventh Division Captain

Shikai: _Kavacha Kundala_

A set of golden armor and earrings, it renders Karna invincible to virtually every type of attack. His katana changes form to a spear.

Bankai: _Vasavi Shakti_

By sacrificing his defenses, his spear grows in power to rival Gilgamesh's Ea. In this form, the spear is wreathed in flames as hot as the sun. It allows for one shot of pure energy to be used, after which the bankai cannot be used for the next month.

Karna is the captain of the Seventh Division. Virtuous, perspective, but lacking social skills, his attempts at befriending people easily causes misunderstandings. However, he readily assists anyone who asks for his help to the best of his ability, with no concern for his own comfort. Because of this, he constantly runs into resource problems because he is too charitable. He is considered one of the most powerful captains by the reiatsu level alone.

**Amakusa Shirou Tokisada**

Position: Seventh Division Lieutenant

Shikai: _Miike Tenta Mitsuyo_

A simple, but sharp katana that greatly enhances his kido abilities. With it, he is able to cast kido spells that he normally cannot manage with his reiatsu level without any incantation.

Shirou is the current Seventh Division Lieutenant. He is a young, compassionate man who strives to keep humanity safe, but is also highly manipulative and does not care for individual humans, instead always looking at the greater picture. He serves as his captain's foil and reins him in before his charitable nature harms himself. He is the most level-headed person among his division, and is the one managing most of the day to day operations.

**Astolfo**

Position: Seventh Division Third Seat

Shikai: _Trap of Argalia_

A long white lance tipped with gold, it has low killing power but shines in cavalry scenarios. The lance will always cause an opponent to trip and fall, no matter where it hits. Under normal circumstances it would be unwieldy, but it is the perfect weapon for battle when riding Hippogriff.

Astolfo is the current Third Seat of the Seventh Division. Despite the feminine appearance, he is most definitely a man. He is a hyper airhead who follows his heart, wears his emotions on his sleeve, is eternally optimistic and lucky enough to escape bad situations. He is the owner of Hippogriff, which he picked up when he was little, though the beast has close to zero respect for him. He and Bradamante were classmates in Shin'ou Academy and are still close friends today.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, I'm back with a too long chapter! The Apocrypha crew makes their appearance, and for once they are cooperating instead of killing each other. Thanks to my proofreader basically proofing this the hour it was done, I managed to get this out...with a few delays. I had hoped to develop Karna a bit more in this story, but it turned out to be a lot harder than I expected and most of the focus went to Astolfo and Amakusa instead...I should be back to my usual posting schedule from now on though!
> 
> By the way, how's everyone's farming progress in Gil/Scatfest? I'm a bit of a lazy farmer myself so I'm still on box 12 and only cleared the Touta challenge quest on NA, but I intend to farm at least half of the stakes I need for my Ereshkigal (she still needs 72 for her first skill, I only have 32 right now -.-). Good luck to everyone trying to clear the exhibition quests!

**Author's Note:**

> Drabble series! I needed a break from games and drawing, and while I know I have a story that I haven't touched in more than a year, I wrote myself into a corner with that one and haven't really thought about how I would resolve the arc. So for now, that story is on hiatus, at least until I get my life sorted. Meanwhile, I've already finished writing 6 chapters for this and there's an actual end in sight (16 chapters is the planned amount), with all of them proofread by a friend. So uh...have fun, and ignore the fact that 90% of the characters in here aren't Japanese in a VERY Japanese setting.


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